Policy

ATTENTION:
Please refer to COVID-19 Emergency Interim Policies which provides details for temporary exceptions to this policy.

An operator first service is used to issue a driver’s licence or identification (ID) card to:

• An Alberta resident for the first time.
• A client whose Alberta driver’s licence or ID card has been expired for more than 6 months.
• A client with an expired licence from a reciprocal country other than the United States or Canada.
• A client from a country that does not have a Reciprocal Licensing Agreement with Alberta; see 3.10.15 Non-Reciprocal Out of Country Drivers.

All clients applying for an Alberta driver’s licence are subject to the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program, based on their date first licenced; see 3.20.02 Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) Program and 3.05.04 Date First Licenced (DFL).

Alberta Driver’s Licence Expired More than Six Months

When the client's driver's licence has been expired more than six months but less than three years, both the knowledge and road test are waived. Vision screening is still required.

When the client's driver's licence has been expired for three years or more, the client must complete a vision screening, knowledge and road test.

• When a client has passed their vision and Class 7 knowledge test and has reclassed to a Class 7 licence, the client may take a road test for the class of licence (or lower class) that they held at the time their licence expired. The client must meet all applicable licensing requirements, including passing the knowledge test for that class of licence.

Note:
Vision screening is required for all operator first services.

Licensing Requirements

A client must:

• Provide acceptable identification; see 2.05.02 Acceptable Identification/Enrolment.
  • Clients must provide proof of Alberta residency and legal presence for all operator first services, including when their Alberta driver's licence has been expired for more than six months.
• Be 18 years of age or older.
  • When the client is less than 18 years of age, consent for a minor or proof of self-sufficiency or proof of marriage is required; see 2.00.02 Minor – Consent/Self Sufficiency.
• Meet all licence class requirements for the class of driver’s licence being applied for; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications.
• Pass a knowledge and/or road test. To determine which test(s) are required for each licence class; see 3.00.01 Driver Licence Classifications.
  • No testing is required when an Alberta driver’s licence has been expired for three years or less.
• Provide proof of date first licenced or length of time licenced to determine if they should be placed in the GDL Program and the Class 1 Learning Pathway; see 3.20.02 Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) Program, 3.05.04 Date First Licenced (DFL) and 3.20.06 Class 1 Learning Pathway
• Pass a vision screening and disclose all medical conditions/physical disabilities that may affect their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle; see 3.05.05 Medicals/Visions.

Additional Requirements

In addition to the requirements mentioned, the client may have to provide a medical report and/or vision referral; see 3.05.05 Medicals/Visions.

A registry agent must:

• Complete a CCMTA Interprovincial Record Exchange (IRE) search; see 3.10.20 Interprovincial Record Exchange Searches & Close Outs for Driver’s Licences (CCMTA).
• Ask the client (provided they are 18 years of age, or older) “Will you register consent to the donation of your organs, tissue and/or body?” in the Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Registry (AOTDR) and provide the adult with the AOTDR Brochure.
  • If the client participates, they must be advised that a heart symbol will display on the front of their driver’s licence or ID card.
• View the client's most recent image on MOVES for clients who previously held an Alberta driver's licence to verify the identity of the client.
  • If the client's images cannot be viewed, the operator service cannot be processed.
• Capture a photo of the client.
  • When the client has a previous acceptable image on MOVES, a new photo is not required, however it is best practice to capture a new image if the client agrees; 3.05.02 Driver Licence / Identification Card Photo and Signature Requirement.
• Capture the client’s signature.
• Issue an interim licence or identification card receipt.
• Courier all non-reciprocal out of country driver’s licences and International Driver's Permits, if applicable, to SIU on a daily basis; see 3.10.15 Non-Reciprocal Out of Jurisdiction Drivers.
• Retain all surrendered United States, reciprocal agreement country driver’s licences, and International Driver’s Permits, if applicable, in the office for one week and then forward to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) for authentication, see 3.10.14 Reciprocal Agreement Countries.

Imaging

The signed application form and all supporting documents must be sent for imaging; see the appropriate sub-section in 1.15 Microfilm.

Date Originally Issued: Nov 14, 1989
Date Last Revised: Apr 01, 2025